The sloth shown above is a Sloth
made by Hansa. Below left is a Cuddlekins Sloth made by
Wild Republic. Click
here to buy the Cuddlekins or the Hansa Sloth.
The Sloth is a slow-moving mammal
that lives in the trees of tropical forests of South and Central
America. There are three-toed sloths, among which is the ai,
and the two-toed sloths, among which is the unau. Sloths are
usually about 16 to 29 inches long. The flat, short head has
big eyes, a snub nose, and
primitive
ears. The body is covered with short, grayish-brown hair. The
tail is small in three-toed sloths and absent or vestigial in
two-toed sloths.
Sloths can live up to ten years. They spend
all of their lives hanging suspended from the boughs of trees,
with the legs and face turned upward and the back downward. The
limbs are long and well developed, and terminate in long curved
claws that hook over and grasp the supporting bough. The forelimbs
are longer, better developed, and more
mobile than the hindlimbs, particularly in the
three-toed sloths. The animal moves by advancing one limb at
a time in a slow, deliberate fashion.
Sloths descend to the ground only about
once each week in order to defecate and urinate. When placed
on the ground they lie on their backs or crawl with the greatest
difficulty. The sloth sleeps during the day, all curled up. In
this position they resemble a stump of a bough and is well camouflaged
from the assault of natural enemies such as the jaguar.
The animal is mostly silent but sometimes
utters a low, plaintive call. It eats foliage and shoots, which
are pulled within reach of the mouth with typical slow movements.
Each year the female produces a single offspring, which clings
to the mother until it can take care of itself.
Scientific classification: Sloths belong
to the order Xenarthra. Three-toed sloths make up the genus Bradypus
in the family Bradypodidae. The ai is classified as Bradypus
tridactylus. Two-toed sloths make up the genus Choloepus in the
family Megalonychidae. The unau is classified as Choloepus hoffmanni.
Other animals that you can find
in the forest are:
Aardvark | Anteater
| Armadillo | Badgers | Bat
| Beaver | Bears
| Bighorn | Boar
| Bobcat | Chipmunk
| Cougar | Deer
| Elk | Ferret
| Fox | Groundhog
| Hedgehog | Kangaroo
Rat | Lynx | Marmot
| Marten | Moose | Mouse
| Opossum | Otter
| Porcupine | Potbelly
Pig | Rabbit | Raccoon
| Red Wolf | Reindeer
| Squirrel | Sloth
| Skunk | Tapir
| Tarsier | Weasel
| Wolf | Wolverine
